For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matt 22:13-14
It could read, For many are invited, but few are those that become the favorites of God. . .
Living the Chosen Life
We have all received invitations from God to come and be the intimate ones, His favorite ones. In Christ we are all the favorites of God. But there is an element of entering into that reality, to experience it in our hearts. The Lord is constantly issuing invitations to us to enter in, to know Him more deeply and intimately. As we “chose” to respond we are then entering into the realities of being those chosen vessels, those who know Him not by the head, but by the heart. Paul exhorted Timothy to give himself totally to the things of God. It is God’s desire that we put our whole-heart into the life He has called us to live. We are a royal priesthood. This paints a picture of the life of dedication and consecration that He has for us. We cannot be content to know Jesus from a distance. There is a desire that must burn within us to know Him more than anything else in this life. Many live their lives before God to see what they can get away with, instead of how deep and how far and how dedicated they can be to Him.
How consecrated can we be? How much surrender can we enter into? How excellent can our service be to God? How much love can we live out? These are the questions that we must discover in our walk with God.
I was watching a sports TV show on the top ten most radical sports figures. These are those who lived their lives pushing the limits of their physical bodies to achieve what would seem to some as crazy and unrealistic feats. People climbing up incredible mountains, running amazing distances through rugged terrain, creating new sports that never existed by being lone pioneers of the field, etc. They achieved these goals through extreme daily dedication, giving themselves wholly over to the daily requirements and tasks. Lives are so radical that others desire to follow and become a part of it.
In our lives we need to have that same radical dedication that creates a higher standard. Not by imposing a law, but by living a life of radical commitment to God. This requires us to step up to the plate and believe God for the best, the most excellent and powerful life before Him. It requires a life of daily discipline that sets standards as leaders. We must be a follower of Jesus to be a leader of others. This takes a life with God given goals and focus.
Making the Right Choices
Mary was a chosen favorite of Godbecause she chose that thing that could not be taken away from her. She was the chosen life before God. She chose to sit at the feet of Jesus. She did not settle for kitchen work. She wanted the best. Jesus said himself, Mary has chosen the good part. She chose the best, not the second-best. She saw the treasure of Jesus. She highly valued it and humbled herself to receive His words into her heart and life. Martha thought she “knew” what was right for Mary. So she voiced her opinion. So it is with the natural mind. Once we think we have things all figured out we like to let everyone else know about it. Of course, Jesus knew that Mary was right where she needed to be, at His feet. . .
Knowledge puffs up, love builds up. Let’s excel in love and let the knowledge that God gives us serve the heart of love within us. All things work through love . . .